Scarcity pushes wheat, maize higher

India’s grain markets showed mixed trends on Tuesday, with wheat and maize prices rising in key markets due to lower arrivals, while rice prices remained steady amid cautious trade and monsoon-related concerns.

  Wheat prices in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, rose by ₹30 to ₹2,710 per 100 kg as arrivals slowed. Traders said farmers are currently focused on preparing fields and sowing kharif crops, reducing the quantity of wheat reaching mandis. Improved monsoon activity across the state has accelerated field preparations, especially for soybean, a major kharif crop grown by wheat farmers.

   In Vashi, Navi Mumbai, wheat prices remained steady at ₹2,700 per 100 kg after a sharp rise in the previous session. Market participants said concerns over below-normal rainfall due to El Niño have raised fears of lower crop production in both kharif and rabi seasons. Delays in the government’s open-market wheat sales are also supporting prices. Maize prices in Indore climbed by ₹50 to ₹2,350 per 100 kg, driven by reduced arrivals and production concerns. Traders noted that weaker monsoon forecasts may affect sowing and acreage, potentially tightening supplies further. 

  Rice prices were largely unchanged in Vashi. Basmati 1409 traded at ₹9,600–₹9,700, 1509 at ₹8,200–₹8,300, and 1121 at ₹10,000–₹10,200 per 100 kg. Traders expect rice prices to rise in the coming weeks if monsoon progress remains uneven and production risks intensify.    —Informist